Malayalam actor Baiju Santhosh arrested for drunk driving and hitting 2-wheeler in Kerala FilmyMeet

Malayalam actor Baiju Santhosh, who will soon be seen in Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Mohanlal-starrer L2: Empuraan, was arrested by the police early on Monday, October 14. He was allegedly driving his car rashly under the influence of alcohol and hit a two-wheeler. He has been charged under multiple sections. (Also Read: Malayalam actor Bala arrested on complaint of ex-wife Amrutha Suresh for assault, misbehaviour)

Baiju Santhosh arrested for drunk driving

The incident allegedly occurred at 11:45 pm on the Kowdiar-Vellayambalam road, under the Museum police station limits in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Upon learning of the incident, the police arrived at the scene, took Baiju into custody, and recorded his arrest at 12.30 am on Monday.

He was charged under Section 281 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) (Rash driving on a public way) and Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Driving under the influence of alcohol). Later, Baiju was released on station bail.

The car has been taken into police custody. The scooter passenger, who did not suffer serious injuries, has not lodged a complaint with the police.

The Hindu reported that Baiju is believed to have lost control of his vehicle when he attempted to swerve from hitting a road construction barrier. In the process, he knocked down a scooterist and hit two signal posts before abruptly stopping. The front tyre of his car got punctured in the accident.

The report also claims that Baiju’s daughter was present in the vehicle at the time. Baiju refused to initially provide his blood sample for tests. The doctor at General Hospital reportedly informed the police that he reeked of alcohol.

About Baiju Santhosh

Baiju began his acting career in 1981, as a child artist in the film Maniyan Pilla Adhava Maniyan Pilla. His breakthrough came with the 2017 film Puthan Panam directed by Ranjith. He has mostly played comedic or character roles in numerous Malayalam films. In 2019, he switched to lead roles with Nadirshah’s Mera Naam Shaji, also starring Asif Ali and Biju Menon.

Baiju recently got praise for his performance in Nunakkuzhi and Virunnu. He will soon star in L2: Empuraan, Bha. Bha. Ba. and Zam Zam.

With inputs from PTI